Statins cause peripheral neuropathy?

Posted by jimbotch @jimbotch, Jan 12, 2019

A chirpodist told me my feet ang leg neuropathy was probably caused by my long use of statins. Any truth?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Neuropathy Support Group.

John, Volunteer Mentor | @johnbishop | Jan 12, 2019

Hello @jimbotch, welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. There is quite a lot of information available pointing to statins causing or making peripheral neuropathy worse. Here are some of the sites I've found.

The implications of statin induced peripheral neuropathy
-- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3103035/

Statin Neuropathy Masquerading as Diabetic Autoimmune Polyneuropathy
-- http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/28/8/2082.1

Medication Induced Neuropathy
-- https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11910-003-0043-8

You may be interested in reading through another active discussion here on Connect and meet other members sharing your symptoms.

Groups > Neuropathy > Living with Neuropathy – Welcome to the group
— https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/living-with-neuropathy-welcome-to-the-group/

Are you able to share how you were diagnosed or any treatments you use that help you with your symptoms?

confused1955 | @confused1955 | Jan 12, 2019

I was not on stations nor had I ever been when my neuropathy started.

John, Volunteer Mentor | @johnbishop | Jan 12, 2019

In reply to @confused1955 "I was not on stations nor had I ever been when my neuropathy started." + (show)

@confused1955, statins can cause neuropathy but they are not the only thing that does. My small fiber PN is idiopathic so I don't know what caused it. My neurologist thought it may be hereditary. Mayo Clinic has some information here on some of the causes:

-- https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/peripheral-neuropathy/symptoms-causes/syc-20352061

confused1955 | @confused1955 | Jan 12, 2019

In reply to @johnbishop "@confused1955, statins can cause neuropathy but they are not the only thing that does. My small..." + (show)

In causes it mention toxins does anyone know if radon is one of those toxins.

John, Volunteer Mentor | @johnbishop | Jan 13, 2019

In reply to @confused1955 "In causes it mention toxins does anyone know if radon is one of those toxins." + (show)

I don't believe radon can cause neuropathy but it has been associated with lung cancer.

What's to know about radon poisoning?
-- https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/305691.php

confused1955 | @confused1955 | Jan 13, 2019

In reply to @johnbishop "I don't believe radon can cause neuropathy but it has been associated with lung cancer. What's..." + (show)

Thanks John. Haven't had our ground tested but my bedroom was added on to 3 story house but it just has a crawl space. The basement of the rest of the house has 10 inch concrete walls. For some reason radon popped into my head. Thanks again.